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Tailwheel Airplane Ground Loops During Landing Roll

St. George, UT, United States

On May 15, 2016, a Cessna 180 H was involved in an aviation accident near St. George, UT. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion, ground loop, right main landing gear collapse, and substantial damage to the right wing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A tailwheel airplane veered left during landing roll, departed the runway, and ground looped, resulting in collapsed right main landing gear and substantial right wing damage. No mechanical malfunctions were reported.

Event Overview

A pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that about four seconds into the landing roll, the airplane veered to the left despite the application of full right rudder deflection. The pilot stated that he added power in an attempt to correct the deviation, but the airplane continued its leftward movement, departed the runway, and entered a ground loop.

Damage

During the ground loop, the right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing sustained substantial damage.

Pilot Report

The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The sequence of events was described by the pilot in his report.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Related events

Same aircraft family

  • 19 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 180
  • 13 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 180
  • 30 Aug 2026 — CESSNA 180A
  • 27 Aug 2026 — CESSNA 180E
  • 18 Aug 2026 — CESSNA 180J
  • 16 Aug 2026 — CESSNA 180
  • 10 Aug 2026 — CESSNA 180
  • 31 Jul 2026 — CESSNA 180
  • 22 Jul 2026 — CESSNA 180K
  • 9 Jul 2026 — CESSNA 180
  • 3 Jul 2026 — CESSNA 180
  • 21 Jun 2026 — CESSNA 180H

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 15 May 2016 Cessna 180 H accident near St. George, UT?

A tailwheel airplane veered left during landing roll, departed the runway, and ground looped, resulting in collapsed right main landing gear and substantial right wing damage. No mechanical malfunctions were reported.

Were there any fatalities in the 15 May 2016 Cessna 180 H accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 15 May 2016 involved a Cessna 180 H, at St. George, UT.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion, ground loop, right main landing gear collapse, and substantial damage to the right wing.

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